I've always got a couple books on the go and usually in multiple genres. Not generally one for the fluffy, my go-to's are; romantic suspense, real life adventure/bio's, a bit of man-love and I have a soft spot when it comes to the tortured heroes and a good tragedy. What all this says about me...IDK? Oh yeah, I'm also a (GR's) refugee.

Opening Line:"Socs Javier "Cobra" Corbray sat in the dimly lit belly of the modified C-130J "Super" Hercules, waiting with the other operators of Delta Platoon for the signal to start their oxygen."

So Pamela Clare does it again with another fantastic addition to the I-Team series (#6) If I’m honest it wasn’t my favourite but that’s a bit like saying it’s not your favourite chocolate; you still loved it and want to eat it every day.

I’m so glad I read the extended prequel (First Strike) before starting this. Not only is it a hot little read but it made a huge difference in understanding who this couple was before… well before events changed them.

This is an excellent read but the general tone of the story is slower, without as much of the hard hitting action we’ve grown accustomed to. I think the fact that both characters are damaged and suffering from PTSD had a bearing too. They spend a ton of time just recovering and healing each other with a slow burning (yet still super sexy) romance.

If I’m nit-picking (which I only do with books I’m invested in) I also disagreed with a couple of the h’s decisions, not so much the big one -that moved me to tears and I understand the why’s but the medical one. [ tubes tied -why did she take away her future by doing that especially in the traumatized state she was in when she made the decision? (hide spoiler)]I also got to the point of eye-rolling with Laura constantly Skyping her G’ma and mother back in Switzerland. However I'd have hated to miss the whole naked, manscaped Javier in the background scene, which was hilarious.

I loved so many things here too; Javier and Laura are awesome characters and I really felt like I knew them by the end. Watching the sweet moments as they fall in love and heal, *big sigh*

Javier… Gah, Clare really knows how to write the perfect heroes. I loved how he sacrificed everything for her and that she trusted him to bring parts of her back to life. I loved that he was her mystery SEAL and she didn’t know and he couldn’t tell her. And yay we get the inclusion of past characters, in particular Marc & Julian and their ongoing bromance and Gabe’s continued affair with adrenaline.

Navy Seal Javier Cobray can’t forget his weekend in Dubai with the “Baghdad Babe” It was only meant to be a no-strings affair, but watching her get kidnapped on live TV eighteen months ago almost broke him and since then he’s thought of little else but revenge on the terrorists that subsequently “killed” her. His latest mission however surprises everyone and finds Laura very much alive, being held at an Al Qaeda compound in Pakistan. He can’t give away his identity but he is taking her home.

Two years later see’s Laura Nilsson now working with the I-Team in Denver. She’s struggling but has come a long way in her recovery and is now about to testify against the extremist leader who kidnapped her.

The romance gods are at work again because it’s during this time that Javier (on medical leave) also finds himself in Denver, staying with his Seal buddy Nate West (Skin Deep) When Laura’s life is threatened and a fatwa is placed on her head Javier makes it his mission to keep her alive.